Why You Shouldn't Take Padfoot Out Shopping
by Christina E. Lupin
Summary: Complete. AU. While out shopping for Harry's Hogwarts supplies, Lily Potter finds out why she should never have taken Sirius Black with.


**Why You Shouldn't Take Padfoot Out Shopping**

_Written by Christina Elizabeth Lupin_

_A/N_: This is just a short AU fic that I had stuck in my head for I don't know how long. Finally, I just decided to post it and now here I am, writing this. Blood Brothers and Cheating Death will be updated on the weekend, so don't fear that I won't update those stories! Anyway, this fic is just about why you should never take Sirius Orion "Padfoot" Black out shopping, especially when the Potters are buying Harry's supplies. In this fic, James and Lily didn't die and Harry is just an only child.

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**Why You Shouldn't Take Padfoot Out Shopping**

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"For Merlin's sake Sirius, stop drooling."

Harry Potter tried to hold in his giggles as he watched his godfather, Sirius Black, stare at the joke shop with his gray eyes full of longing. His mother, Lily Potter, was trying to pull the man forward so they could get to Gringotts. Harry's dad, James Potter, and 'uncle', Remus Lupin, watched in amusement as she tried to snap the man from his trance.

"I bet she realizes now that it was a terrible mistake to bring Padfoot along," Remus whispered, his amber eyes glowing with mirth.

"But Padfoot begged her and she couldn't resist," James added, smirking. "She could never resist his puppy dog eyes." He laid a hand on his son's shoulder and squeezed it. "Moony and I will go get the gold, son. Supervise these two for us."

"Got it, Dad," Harry said, grinning. He watched the two men walk off before turning back to his godfather and mother.

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"Please, Lily flower?"

"Absolutely not, Sirius. You are not corrupting my son any more than you have."

Sirius' gray eyes widened. "I have not been corrupting your son. He is also James' son, you know. He is the only child born from the Marauder line and therefore will…"

"No!" Lily yelled. She then tugged his arm, hard.

"OUCH! That was my arm, woman!"

"Be glad that is all she did, Padfoot," Remus said as he and James returned, the money bag filled.

"Help me, Moony. This woman believes that little Pronglet shouldn't play pranks at school."

James coughed to hide his laughter. Sirius should have known better than to ask for Moony's help. Moony, after all, was the sensible Marauder, the brain and mastermind of their greatest pranks, but he didn't play them like the others did.

"And I quite agree."

"WHAT?" Padfoot shouted, his jaw dropping in shock.

Remus smirked. "You heard me. Harry should be focusing more on his studies and not on pranking every teacher and student at Hogwarts."

"Not like I was going to prank anybody anyway," Harry mumbled.

Lily smiled at her son. "That's good to hear, Harry. Now let's continue our outing before it gets dark." She pulled on Sirius' arm again, sending James, Remus, and Harry into laughter when Sirius cried out once more.

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"SIRIUS ORION BLACK! BACK AWAY FROM THAT SHOP!"

"Busted again, Padfoot," Remus whispered as Sirius rejoined the group. He was attempting to sneak toward the joke shop once again.

"You should just admit defeat, Paddy," James said, slinging an arm around his friend's shoulders.

"It's just not right to send our pup off to Hogwarts with absolutely no pranking material," Sirius grumbled, his eyes on his eleven-year-old godson and his eyes softened just a little. "We shouldn't have lost the Marauder's map in our seventh year. At least we could have given that to him."

James and Remus had to agree with Sirius on that. The Marauder's map was their pride and joy and would allow Harry to get around Hogwarts a lot easier. Ever since the attack on Godric's Hollow almost ten years ago, the Marauders and Lily's parental instincts had been sent into overdrive, much to Harry's annoyance. They were nearly suffocating, always making sure one of them was around him at all times. He even noticed that one of the four slept by his bedside in a chair. And no matter how many times Albus Dumbledore had reassured the four that Harry would be safe at Hogwarts, the four still worried.

Sighing and sending one last look at the joke shop, Sirius allowed himself to be pulled along.

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"OKAY! THAT'S IT! SIRIUS, GO BACK HOME AND WAIT FOR US!"

Sirius paled and immediately latched onto James' side, the nearest person he could grab. James' body shook with laughter at the situation. Remus simply looked on with amusement, Harry standing alongside him with the same expression on his face.

"Prongsie, don't let her send me home!" Sirius whined. "I'll be good! I promise." He flinched under Lily's glare.

"I doubt that you will keep your word. Now go." She pointed a finger in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron.

"Give him one more chance, Lils," Remus began. "Maybe he'll want to head to Quality Quidditch…"

"QUIDDITCH!" both James and Sirius exclaimed and they both shot off toward the store.

Lily let out a long sigh as the other two snickered. "Instead of pranks they'll attempt to get Harry stuck on Quidditch…"

"Uh, Lils, Harry is already stuck on Quidditch," the younger man said, grinning madly. He laughed as she sighed once again, clenched her fists, and stalked off to find the men. "C'mon, cub, let's go get your school books."

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End

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. I know I loved writing it, as I normally don't do humor too often. In case you didn't catch it, this was AU and James and Lily survived that night on Halloween.


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